Deccan Herald - Saturday-Metrolifehttp://www.deccanHerald.com
Feed provided by Deccanherald.www.deccanHerald.comenFri, 9 Dec 2016 03:00:32 GMTDeccan Herald - Saturday-Metrolifehttp://www.deccanHerald.com
http://www.deccanherald.com/images/deccanhereald-logo.gif14498Feed provided by Deccanherald.'I still struggle to adjust in Bollywood'http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584457/i-still-struggle-adjust-bollywood.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584457/i-still-struggle-adjust-bollywood.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:24:17 +0530Sunny Leone may have completed five years in the industry, but the actor says she still struggles to adjust to the way Bollywood works.

Sunny made her big screen debut in 2012 with 'Jism 2' after appearing on reality TV show 'Bigg Boss'. When asked about her journey so far, Sunny said, "I had to adjust a little. I realised very quickly that I had to (adjust) because Bollywood will never change, as far as how things are done on sets. This was a world that I never knew."

"I love being here, I learn something new everyday. So that for me is fun. But there is constant struggle too," she added.

The actor has collaborated with New York-based startup 'Escapex' to launch her own app.

Sunny says she knows the importance of e-commerce and feels that since the shelf-life of an actor is limited, one must broaden one's horizons.

"The shelf-life of a Bollywood actor is not always long unless you are Amitabh Bachchan, Salman (Khan), Shah Rukh (Khan) or Aamir Khan. So if I don't make beyond one film or a few films, or if something untoward happens, I know I have built my brand so strong that I can do anything else I want. Which is why e-commerce was very important for me."

The 35-year-old actor says she is a 'product of social media' and hence having her own app is a big deal for her. "I am a product of social media. That's how I grew my name and people started knowing who I was. For me to have one app where my fans or followers can see everything about me... It's really exciting," she added.

He has been working on the script of his debut directorial, 'Mummy', for over two years now. Lohith says, "The idea is not only to fulfil my dream of becoming a director but also to entertain people. My idea of making a film is to give people an insight into reality and make them aware of the supernatural elements that exist around us."

'Mummy', he says, was written after he was witness to a real incident that happened in the city a few years ago. "The story is about a mother and daughter who begin to experience unusual things after they move into their new home in Goa," he says. "The emotions such as fear, apprehension and doubt have been captured using VFX sound and some of the horror scenes have additional effects," Lohith adds.

The characters have all been presented without any elaborate makeup. "This is the first time that Priyanka Upendra appears without any makeup. We wanted to give a touch of reality to the whole thing. Even the sounds feel real, as if everything is happening in front of you," he adds.

Asked about the challenges he faced, Lohith says, "This is not a story that has song, dance and comedy. The story is knit around horror and the challenge was to keep the audience engrossed at every scene. That was quite tough but looking back, I feel the hard work has paid off," he says.

About the experience of working on his debut project, Lohith responds, "Seldom do we see directors or the technical team being appreciated for their work. It's always the hero or the lead characters who get noticed. But with this film, that perception is sure to change."

Lohith says that he had had no prior training in filmmaking. "I worked as an assistant director in a couple of films before I started work on my film. Whatever I have learnt is what I picked up on the job. It has been a struggle but I am grateful that I didn't have anything easy. It has been an enriching journey," he says.

The film has opened to good reviews and Lohith is keeping his fingers crossed. ]]>Haemodialysis requiredhttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/584454/haemodialysis-required.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584454/haemodialysis-required.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:19:08 +0530Dec 03, 2016, DHNSShasheedhara, aged 48 years, requires continuous haemodialysis for renal failure and Mircera injection every 15 days with other continued medications.

He requires an amount of Rs 35,420 for his medical expenses and is in need of financial help. Contributions can be made in favour of Canara Bank, Mahalakshmi Layout.

The account number is 0886101070088, the IFSC code is CNRB0000886 and the MICR code is 560015073. For details, call Uma Rani on 7353591677/ 8971510055.]]>A musical extravaganzahttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/584453/a-musical-extravaganza.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584453/a-musical-extravaganza.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:18:00 +0530Music lovers in the city are in for a treat with the second edition of the 'Urbana Music Festival' set to be held on December 3 and 4 at Ozone Urbana, Kannamangala.

The event will feature celebrated artistes including acclaimed playback singer Arijit Singh who will be performing on the first day. He wil be joined by Bengaluru's very own independent rockstar Raghu Dixit the same day.

The festival will also feature some of India's best rock bands including 'Indian Ocean', 'Parikrama' and 'Euphoria', who would be

performing on December 4. The festival will feature a pop-up flea market where one can pick up fantastic products virtually from anywhere around the country.

]]>For that special aromahttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/584452/for-special-aroma.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584452/for-special-aroma.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:16:25 +0530Dec 03, 2016, DHNSWhat started three years back with a few stalls on the MG Road Boulevard has now grown into a much bigger and exciting event on the city's calendar. The 'Coffee Santhe', organised to raise funds for women coffee estate labourers and their girl children, has an array of interesting activities on its agenda, enough to keep coffee lovers engaged for a couple of hours.

The third edition of the santhe, which is on at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, has been put together by the Women's Coffee Alliance &mdash; India Chapter and will be on till tomorrow from 10 am till 7.30 pm. The highlight of the event is the variety of stalls showcasing different brewing techniques and samples of delicious coffees made using those.

'The Brew Room', a cafe based in Chennai and soon opening to Bengaluru, demonstrated five distinct techniques and handed over cups for customers to enjoy. "We have speciality organic coffees and are showcasing 'Chemex', 'French Press', 'Aeropress', 'Turkish Coffee' and 'Vacuum Siphon' techniques. There's 'Thai cold coffee', 'Iced latte', 'South Indian dabara coffee' and 'Swiss chocolate smoothie' along with cookies and chocolate fudge for the visitors," said one of the co-owners.

The stall by 'Martha's Preserves' saw visitors savouring 'Tiramisu cupcakes', 'Chocolate, coffee and caramel cake' and 'Mocha chocolate chip cookies'. Poornima Jayaraj, who has a coffee farm in Chikkamagaluru, had set up 'T's cakes' named after her daughter Tanya who's passionate about baking. "I have a brand called 'Varshini'; it's a citrus flavoured coffee and we are pairing it with home-baked brownies and cinnamon cake. 'Mahila', the brand by WCAI, is a chocolate and caramel flavoured one that's available to savour with banana cake," said Poornima.

There was also a stall by 'True South', a unique startup that makes ready-to-use filter coffee decoction in two blends &mdash; 'Eighty 20' and 'Malabar'. "One would only find beans or coffee powder in general; however, we are providing a liquid/decoction which one can easily use to prepare a cup of coffee at home," said the owner Harish.

Purnesh D M, one of the founding members of WCAI, expressed his excitement over the santhe gaining momentum since its inception. One of the fourth generation growers in his family, he unveiled the new look of his brand named 'Classic' and also had some other award-winning coffees from his brand to taste. Coffee powder from the estates of Sakleshpur was available at '77 Coffee' and they also had do-it-yourself coffee filters for sale.

The women's Barista championship definitely attracted much attention with many showcasing their skills at preparing the beverage. Giving the bean an artistic twist was 'Chammak Challo Cool Maal', a startup that displayed earrings made with coffee beans among other quirky jewellery pieces.

Meanwhile, Hima Bindu and Dheeraj Gadicherla saw people making a beeline to their respective stalls to appreciate their paintings made using the brew. Their creativity truly showed that there's more to the beverage than just sipping it from the cup.

]]>Quality time togetherhttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/584451/quality-time-together.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584451/quality-time-together.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:14:05 +0530Jaideep Pandey, Dec 03, 2016It seems that Bollywood heartthrobs Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt have become quite serious about each other in past some days. Alia reportedly visited Sid's parents recently and spent an entire evening with the family before rushing to the airport to fly to London.

Interestingly, Alia termed Sidharth a better kisser than Arjun Kapoor."See, I've kissed Arjun in one film and he is a very good kisser but I've kissed Sid in two so I've had more practice with him. So, maybe I think I would give the award to Sid", said Alia, during a recent conversation with Neha Dhupia on her chat show #NoFilterNeha.

However, it has been said that it is none other than Varun Dhawan who played match maker between Alia and Sidharth, as all the three made their Bollywood debut with 'Student Of The Year' (2012) and are considered good friends.

(Compiled by Jaideep Pandey)

]]>Conversation over snackshttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/584450/conversation-over-snacks.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584450/conversation-over-snacks.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:10:32 +0530TiniSara Anien, Dec 03, 2016, DHNSThe city is bursting with interesting themed-cafes, many of which offer good food along with a pleasant space to hang out. One such place is 'TOT Cafe' in Jeevanbheemanagar.

While its food &mdash; the tastiest and simplest &mdash; is bound to impress, the interiors are exciting enough to make one stay there on for hours together.

Ask Thejasvi M S, the manager of the eatery, about the story behind the name of the place and he says, "TOT Cafe simply refers to 'Talk Over Table' Cafe. It is aimed at encouraging pleasant conversations while sharing a bite."

The customers include people who work from home, IT professionals and those who work with startups. "Many of them call this place their second home. Nearing noon, we have college students coming in while families start flowing in during the evening," he says.

The cafe offers interesting teas and international coffee brews to the beverage lover. It also has interesting snacks for everyone, whether one wants to indulge in a quick bite or a proper meal.

"From unique vegetarian and non-vegetarian options in pizzas, starters and even full-fledged meals, we have something to tingle everyone's taste buds," he says.

The starters are many, including 'Cheese chilly toast' and 'Spicy chilly potatoes' for the vegetarians to 'Dragon chicken' and 'Chicken wings peri peri' for the meat lovers.

"Our most popular items include a variety of coffees like the 'TOT Special Hot Mocha' and teas like the 'Green tea', 'Masala chai' and 'Lemon mint tea'. Our shakes like 'Cold coffee', 'Oreo shake' and 'Brownie shake' also sell like hotcakes," adds Thejasvi. Another speciality is an 'All Day Breakfast', based on the idea of English breakfast. "There are many takers for this. Also, we have many people coming in from across the city for our pancakes and sandwiches," he says.

The cafe stands apart for its ambience, which is both striking yet relaxing. It makes one feel at home.

Thejasvi adds, "We vouch that the ingredients are fresh and anything served is made to order. From pizza to sandwiches to pastas, all the sauces and bases are made from scratch."

This eatery, which started almost a year ago, boasts a seating capacity for 80. It also has a separate section for small gatherings or conferences.

]]>It's time for food and gameshttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/584448/its-time-food-games.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584448/its-time-food-games.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:08:06 +0530Anila Kurian, Dec 03, 2016, DHNSCafe Thulp' in Kammanahalli likes to keep their dishes simple and grand. But the chefs there make sure that a 'Cafe Thulp' element is added to the items to make it unique.

The restaurant is located in a cosy corner in CPR Layout. Even though the street is bustling with other eateries, this one stands out with its polka dots of red and black. It feels like you have entered a different world completed with wooden tables and chairs.

For those who want to keep themselves entertained while the food arrives, there is the small library with comic books and puzzle games. It has a generous mix of Asterix comics and UNOcards. There is Jenga which is a fun game which tests your mental and physical skills.

Similar to the other branches of 'Cafe Thulp' in the city, this one is also popular for its burgers.

As the size of the burger is on the larger side, it would be good if one comes with an empty stomach.

The 'Moo with cheese and bacon' is meaty, juicy and succulent. However, for those who want to feel like they have achieved something big for the day, the 'Moo's your daddy' is recommended. It is a 400-gram cheeseburger that you can choose to have with or without bacon.

For the chicken lovers, the 'The imposter' is a good choice. The popular item on the menu, however, is 'The Gonzeshwara burger' is a bacon wrapped beef fillet steak with sunny-side-up egg, cheese and barbecue sauce.

But not in the mood for burgers?Then you can go for an interesting choice of pasta too. The 'Alphonso hankypants' served with alfredo sauce with mushrooms and red peppers, and the 'Spaceballs the movie' pasta, the special pork and beef meatballs with tomato sauce will leave one slurping.

As for the all-time pork lovers, the 'The happy belly' is heaven on a plate. This is smoked and braised pork belly in oyster sauce, sweet soya sauce and five-spice powder which is served with creamy cauliflower and steamed bok choy.

The restaurant also offers South Indian cuisine like 'The Kochi Kombuster' which is a plate of Kerala fish or prawn curry with 'kodampuli', baby onions, ginger and red chilli. It is served with steamed rice and ginger mustard 'pachadi'.

End your meal with a selection from 'The sweetest thang' like 'The tellicheery tangle' which is a rich chocolate cake and Kerala caramelised banana drizzled with cinnamon rum syrup and 'Pig pen' &mdash; chocolate and rosemary mud pie with mixed berry compote and heavy cream. As the restaurant keeps itself on the toes with various food festivals, you can walk in to indulge in those dishes as well.

]]>A platter of surpriseshttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/584447/a-platter-surprises.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584447/a-platter-surprises.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:06:00 +0530Surupasree Sarmmah, Dec 03, 2016, DHNSA catchy name has never failed to attract attention. And that's exactly the case with 'Trick or treat', a new addition to the many pocket-friendly cafes in town.

Located on Brigade Road, next to St Joseph's College of Commerce, this cafe was started with the intention of catering to the student crowd, but looks like it has a large following from among the corporate crowd as well.

If you want to have good food without burning a hole in your pocket, this is the perfect place to spend some quality time with your friends or just relax after a tiring day at work. Started by four partners, Satya Aditya Jetty, Vignesh M J, Ronit Akshay and Sujay S Reddy, the place promises to deliver a great gastronomical experience to everyone.

Serving an array of dishes right from healthy salads and sandwiches to filling burgers, pastas and pizzas, the menu boasts of a variety on every page. Popular for its shakes, the must-haves are 'Death by chocolate', 'Fruit splash' and 'Very vanilla', but if you are not very fond of vanilla, do try their 'Chocolate and hazelnut' shake. The shakes are tasty with just the right amount of sweetness. While you are sipping on one of them, ask for a plate of 'Fully loaded nachos' and 'South-Western quesadillas'; they are crisp and quite filling.

However, be careful to not fill yourself up, if you want to explore the menu further. You can give the burgers a try. The 'Mediterranean chicken' and the 'Monterey chicken' burgers are fast-moving items and they taste great. So does the 'Peri-peri chicken' pizza.

The presentation of each of the dishes has a cool quotient to it, which instantly makes the food look appetising. One of the highlights of the place is that each table has a bottle of sanitiser which is quite an unusual sight at a restaurant. Two months old in the business, the place is doing quite well.

'Trick or treat' is located at 15 K-1, D Block, St Patrick's Church Complex, Brigade Road. For details, call 9035343341.

]]>'I'm excited to shoot with Akshay again'http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584446/im-excited-shoot-akshay-again.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584446/im-excited-shoot-akshay-again.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:03:24 +0530Dec 03, 2016, DHNSActor Amy Jackson, who has teamed up with superstar Rajinikanth for '2.0', says he gets nervous with the media and attention.

"Rajinikanth is a very quiet, humble and soulful person. We were shooting a scene that involved me and him. I was very excited and when I told him this, he said he was nervous. I was surprised. He admitted he gets nervous about the media and the attention. I told him he is a superstar but he said he still gets nervous," Amy told reporters.

"As a person, he has sustained in the field for many years and he is still at the top. He is humble and focused on his work. That is important," said the actor.

In director S Shankar's '2.0', Rajinikanth will reprise the role of Dr Vaseegaran and Chitti while Akshay Kumar, who is the new addition to the movie, plays a villain in the second instalment of 'Robot'.

"I haven't started filming with Akshay yet. I have had all my sequences with Rajinikanth. He is a very quiet person while Akshay comes across as the exact opposite; he is lively and keeps cracking jokes. I am excited to shoot with Akshay again," said Amy, a British model and actor, who has acted in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu films.

Talking about her journey from the United Kingdom to Bollywood, she said, "It has been crazy and amazing. I had never thought I would work with Akshay and Rajinikanth and would get to associate with these talented people." Having acted in both South Indian and Hindi films, Amy says her fluency in Tamil is quite good.

"My Hindi is ok. I think I am better at Tamil. I remember the Tamil words," she added.]]>Moving beyond barriershttp://www.deccanherald.com/content/584445/moving-beyond-barriers.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/584445/moving-beyond-barriers.htmlFri, 2 Dec 2016 16:01:04 +0530Chetana Divya Vasudev, Dec 03, 2016, DHNSBengaluru is a melting pot of cultures, a home to diverse people. It also has a significant number of differently-abled children and adults.

While the city is becoming more inclusive and Bengalureans more sensitised about making public spaces more accessible, we still have a long way to go. On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a few wheelchair-bound and visually-impaired talk about the changes they would like to see.

Srilatha K S, a senior accounts executive at an MNC, has noticed that people are more helpful now than they were a few years ago. "This includes cab drivers," says the professional who gets about in a wheelchair. "But not all restaurants and theatres are easily accessible. Yes, five-star hotels and multiplexes are, but not all disabled people can afford them."

That said, she recommends that till all the infrastructure is in place, the differently-abled call these places and check if they are accessible. "If not, find out if they are willing to help you out. This is what I do," she offers. "If a ramp hasn't been constructed in advance, mobile ones would work."

Disabled-friendly restrooms at parks and public gardens is also on her wishlist for a more accessible Bengaluru. "In most places, they either don't exist or are not hygienic enough," she adds. "This makes it hard for people like me to plan half-day outings."

Former captain of the Indian Blind Cricket team, Shekar Naik, points towards more basic infrastructure &mdash; footpaths, better road crossings and more accessible public transport. His travels have taken him to other countries like England with better facilities.

"You can stop the traffic at the press of a button and cross the road, which is impossible to implement here," he says. "But sidewalks in better condition, especially around Majestic and the Central Business District, is essential." Ashwini Angadi, who runs a school for the visually impaired and lost her sight as a child, echoes the sentiment. She elaborates, "Slabs that have been removed for civic work or footpaths that have been dug up are especially hazardous for the visually-impaired. Those on wheelchairs also find such stretches hard to navigate."

Both Ashwini and Shekar feel that the civic authorities need to become more actively involved in making the city safer for the differently-abled. Like Srilatha, Ashwini opines that disabled-friendly facilities often exclude recreational activities.

"Libraries should have more Braille and audio books," she says. "And we should have tactile aids &mdash; like smoother or rougher tiles &mdash; to indicate the entrance of a park. How else would we even know of the existence of a lung space?"

Muthuraj D, who has worked as an assistive technology expert with various organisations striving to aid the disabled, says leisure activities for the differently-abled and the awareness about the need for them is on the rise. "Recently, when the movie 'Jungle Book' released, a screening was organised for the differently-abled," he says.

However, the responsibility to make the city more accessible, according to him, rests with not only the government and NGOs but also citizens.

"For example, there's an online map search &mdash; www.wheelmap.org &mdash; on which people can update whether or not the places they visit are wheelchair-accessible," he says. "It works much like Google Maps and here's where everyone can pitch in." Audio aids at bus stops and ensuring that hospitals have a sign language interpreter are some of the other facilities that could improve accessibility, he adds.